Spending plummets in South Florida after the Great Recession

In just two years, South Florida households have slashed their spending by nearly $10,000, cutting back on everything -- from dining out to buying clothes and even healthcare.

Broward and Miami-Dade families, who were spending near the national average in 2008-09, are now significantly below it in key areas, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For example, South Florida households spent about half of what they did on clothes and $3,105 less a year on housing than they did in 2008 and 2009. Despite rising gas costs, South Florida families made do with spending 28 percent less on transportation.

They even bought less liquor, tobacco, household cleaning supplies and toiletries.

"Coupons, that's how I get by," said Jackie Gobin, 53, of Fort Lauderdale as she walked out of a Publix. She pointed to a grocery receipt that said she had saved $35.17. Gobin, who works at the courthouse and said she and her colleagues often talk about things they've had to cut back on.

By last year, the average South Florida household had slashed 19 percent of the spending they did in 2008-2009 from $47,601 to $38,354.

Friday's numbers collected by the U.S. Census Bureau showed South Floridians devoted significantly less of their budget to clothing, healthcare, entertainment and education compared to the national average. The Consumer Expenditure Survey examined spending trends in 18 metro areas including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Dallas and Seattle.

The South Florida cutbacks were so severe that U.S. economist Timothy Ewing sent the data back to researchers to review before releasing it. But federal workers came back, saying South Florida's average household had experienced a dramatic drop in yearly income -- $12,000 less a year in 2010-2011.

"People had to cut back," Ewing said. "They didn't have as much discretionary income."

In Fort Lauderdale, Elena Mendieta believes she's cut spending by $2,000 to $3,000 a year just by eliminating frequent trips to the mall and annual visits to Disney.

"Now I haven't gone to the mall in two or three months," said Mendieta, 43, who was shopping at Publix. As for Disney, "I liked it but now it's not necessary."

"Everyone is hunkering down," said South Miami dentist Stanley Krugman, who is seeing fewer patients and himself said he is shopping – and buying – less.

Randy Bianchi, co-owner of a West Palm Beach real estate firm, said he's learned to do without.

While the housing market is improving after six years of big price declines, Bianchi said his firm's listings are down because of a lack of properties for sale. He hasn't been on a vacation in five years and remains hesitant to splurge.

"I try not to go out to eat unless my family's in town," said Bianchi, 55, head of Paradise Properties of Florida. "I'm driving an 8-year-old car with 116,000 miles on it. Me, personally, I'm tired of clipping coupons."

Even though South Floridians were spending less, they still allocated a whopping 41.5 percent of their total spending on housing. That was the highest percent age of the surveyed metro areas.

South Florida families averaged $15,911 a year in 2010-2011 to have and operate a home, including just under $3,500 a year spent on utilities. Housing expenses also include mortgage interest, property taxes, repairs and rent, according to BLS.

Still, that yearly housing expense was $3,105 less than they spent in 2008-2009.

South Floridians even spent less on food than they did two years earlier, relying more on eating at home.

"You have to adjust, things are not the same anymore," said Ruth Wilmot, of Boca Raton"You save more when you eat at home. With the money you pay for dinner at a restaurant you could buy a whole chicken."

Gobin of Fort Lauderdale said going out to eat is now unusual and she take her lunch to work. "I just can't do it. You cook at home and bring it with you," she said.

Gobin, who hasn't had a raise in six years, said she sometimes asks herself, "how am I going to pay for this?" pointing to brown plastic bags filled with groceries. "Who am I not paying this month?"